Diving and other, not so nice, encounters in Egypt

Becky Hayes, our Travel TV presenter, has recently returned from a holiday to Egypt and here she describes her diving experiences and an encounter with the locals that she did not expect! Read on …….

I’ve been looking at going to Egypt for the past few years but for many reasons have put off going and chosen somewhere else to holiday. I’ve heard horror stories of upset stomachs, leery, pushy men and then of course there have been the recent troubles there. So when I finally booked to go this year, it was with trepidation to say the least.

I went with my husband and we were looking for a chill out week with sunshine, snorkelling and good food and wine. We stayed at The Jaz Mirabel Park Hotel which for the price we paid (£500 each AI) was fantastic! The grounds are spotless and the food of good quality.

It has to be said that the snorkeling in the red sea is fantastic! I’ve previously done it in The Maldives, Thailand and The Seychelles and Egypt topped them all! The coral is beautiful and I saw such an array of beautiful fish including little nemo (clown fish).

We went all inclusive to keep costs down but planned to eat out a few times too. Neither of us had any stomach problems and the food was actually really good. Granted with an All Inclusive Buffet you get a lot of the same but it included fresh fish, salads, steaks and wine on tap which I was very happy with!

I heard a lot of female guests complaining about the Egyptian men (although there were the odd few who seemed to like to attention!). They definitely like to ogle the women, that is a fact! But if you are firm with them, they are fine. I did have one awkward experience at our hotel when I was using the ladies toilets one afternoon. The cleaner (an Egyptian man in his 20’s) came in and tried to kiss me! A little off putting as I was in my bikini and trying to dry my hands! However the hotel management dealt with it extremely well.

Here are my top Sharm el Sheikh tips:

Caamel Rooftop Bar

This place is perfect to watch the hustle and bustle of Naama Bay whilst not being in the thick of it yourself! Escape to the rooftop haven for a cocktail and sheesha.

Sinai by Starlight Trip

This trip was one of the highlights of our holiday. You are taken by coach into the desert and take a camel ride as the sun is setting into a traditional Bedouin Village. The villagers are so friendly and accommodating and cook you a fantastic local meal of meats, salad, locally made pitta bread and potatoes. You all sit in a Bedouin tent around a camp fire and have the opportunity to try a flavoured sheesha if you wish. The locals also put on some entertainment before you do stargazing with an astronomer. A definite whilst in Sharm el Sheikh.

Red Sea Snorkelling

We did an all day cruise where you get to stop at 3 different snorkeling spots and spend the bits in between soaking up the sun onboard the boat! The local guides are fantastic and are always with you when you are in the sea, so if you’ve never tried snorkeling before, this is the ideal trip to try it on. You can also have a life jacket if you’d prefer. The coral was amazing and we saw all kinds of different fish. It really was an amazing experience! The BBQ served on board was delicious too.